


Dance More Dances

by ChokolatteJedi



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Chinese New Year, Cultural References, Dancing, Dancing Lessons, F/M, Getting Together, Getting to Know Each Other, Hogwarts Inter-House Friendships, Winter Solstice
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-14
Updated: 2020-12-14
Packaged: 2021-03-10 23:02:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,475
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28095108
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChokolatteJedi/pseuds/ChokolatteJedi
Summary: Cho and Cedric discuss several things while preparing for the Yule Ball
Relationships: Cho Chang/Cedric Diggory
Comments: 3
Kudos: 6
Collections: Books of Yule





	Dance More Dances

**Author's Note:**

  * For [kitsunerei88](https://archiveofourown.org/users/kitsunerei88/gifts).



> "Take more chances, dance more dances." ~Anonymous
> 
> Thanks to my beta, C--

"So, what are the Eagles doing for Solstice?" Cedric asked, firmly keeping his eyes on Cho's face instead of his own feet, as she had instructed him. Cho, as the daughter of a diplomat, had been taught a number of formal dances - both Chinese and European - at a young age. Cedric, on the other hand, had never been to a ball and never needed to learn to dance before. They were both quite enjoying the lessons, however.

"There's been talk of a ceremony, but nothing firm," Cho admitted. "I believe some of the older Prefects are organizing things. What about the Badgers?"

"We've got a committee setting things up," Cedric explained. "Maggie Buttermere's mum is a herbologist, and she's already agreed to get us the mistletoe, oak, and holly for the ritual. I think Professor Sprout is arranging a place near the greenhouses where we can have the bonfire."

Cho nodded slightly. "I believe we're arranging the same. They might just combine the groups, if Professors Flitwick and Sprout collaborate."

"I don't understand why they don't just do something official, for the whole school," Cedric sighed. The Solstices and Equinoxes were important dates on the Wizarding calendar, and in years past Hogwarts had always sent the students home at least two days before the winter Solstice so that they would have time for the celebrations. The Yule Ball had thrown a wrench in those plans for all but the youngest few years, and many students were baffled by the fact that Hogwarts was not making arrangements for the students to participate in the rituals at school.

"Indeed," Cho agreed. "Especially with our visitors; it would be interesting to compare notes and see what traditions our French and Slavic counterparts carry out. It would be a wonderful cultural learning and bonding opportunity."

Cedric smiled fondly, the way he often did when she was talking about learning something new. It was a hazard of befriending a Ravenclaw, but one he didn't appear to mind. The first time Cho had attempted to befriend someone outside of her House, their eyes had glazed over when she talked about learning anything outside of the classroom; in retrospect it hadn't been a good match at all, but Cedric was much better about that kind of thing.

Then something appeared to occur to him, as he almost stopped dancing before catching himself and continuing the waltz. "Are the Solstice traditions different in China?" he asked.

"They are, though we call it Dongzhi," Cho said. "I haven't been back in a few years, but we used to celebrate with our whole family. We would have meat dumplings, and our cousins from Hunan would bring colorful tang yuan - rice balls. Everyone would celebrate the year's end, and growing older and wiser."

"The difference between the Muggle traditions and the Wizarding ones is that we retain several of the rituals that have fallen out of favor. Anyone who will come of age in the following year will perform a color changing charm on their teeth, and do up their hair. We also offer symbolic sacrifices to magic, much in the style of the Yule Goat here."

"Do you do any of that here?" Cedric asked. "I mean, I know you said your mother always has to attend the Yule Ball at the Ministry, but do you do any of the Chinese traditions?"

"We do, actually," Cho smiled at the memory. "My first year here, I was seven, and I was so excited to see how British Wizards celebrated Yule. We were invited to the Greengrass estate - their father is an ambassador too, I'm not sure if you knew?"

Cedric shook his head.

"Well he is, and mother had met him through the ICW. He was in Britain and invited us to celebrate with his girls. We had the yule log, the goat and boar, we did the ritual of the oak branch - everything! I was so excited!" Cho laughed at the memory. "Then we got home and I cried because there wasn't any tang yuan to eat. The things children do, eh?"

"It makes perfect sense," Cedric said comfortingly. "Did your parents get you any?"

"Mother doesn't cook, but she summoned one of the family House-elves from China to teach the ones here how to make all kinds of food from home. I had tang yuan and dumplings the next night. Since then, we do something of a hybrid Solstice, with British and Chinese food. We have a yule log, but also perform the symbolic sacrifices of Dongzhi."

"That is neat, and I can see why you'd want to compare with the other schools, since you already have a mix of cultures in your holiday." Cedric said. "So aside from the House Solstice celebration, are you planning on doing anything for Dong Z-Zhi this year?"

"Well I'm not going to cry if I don't get tang yuan," Cho teased him. "But I might do something. Su Li - she's the year below me - mentioned it a few days ago. I think she was going to talk to Natalie Wu in Hufflepuff and the Fong boys in Slytherin. I don't know if any of them even celebrate Dongzhi - I think they all, like Su, were born here in Britain?"

"Well if any of you do decide to do something, perhaps... I could come?" Cedric asked hesitantly.

Cho smiled brightly. "Of course you can come, if you want to! I'd really like that."

"Great!" Cedric looked relieved. Cho had been surprised to discover that, though he appeared confident in the air, and was a good student, he wasn't as comfortable with people. The only other children his age in Devon were the Weasleys, and he was between Percy and the twins - age wise. Though he had been good friends with Percy when they were younger, being sorted into separate Houses had scuppered that. Hufflepuffs tended to be easygoing with each other, but amongst students of other Houses, Cedric was unsure of himself. It had shocked Cho, when they first started talking after Quidditch matches.

Cho decided to give him a hand. "Su and I also usually celebrate the Lunar New Year together; if we do something at Solstice the others might want to do that as well. You're more than welcome to come to that too - if it doesn't interfere in the tournament, of course." She thought he would enjoy setting off some firecrackers down on the Pitch, and he had expressed interest before in trying new foods, so he might like the moon cakes and longevity noodles.

Cedric's wide smile confirmed she had made the right choice. "That'd be brilliant!"

The song ended, and Cho realized it was the last one on the album. There was no awkwardness this time (unlike their first lesson) as Cedric took a half a step back and gallantly kissed her hand that he had been holding.

"Thank you, Cho," he said sincerely. "Both for the lessons, and for all your support this year."

"Of course, Cedric," she said happily. He was her friend; she would always support him. 

Cedric straitened and Cho recognized the signs of him gearing up to do something; he had done the same right before asking her to the ball. She gave him a moment, and then he firmly asked, "Cho, would you like to be my girlfriend?"

Cho thought about it for a moment; she did like Cedric, and of course he was cute. More importantly, he was smart, and didn't look down on her for being a Ravenclaw who liked to learn. He had been raised very sheltered, but appreciated her multi-cultural background, and her desire to study other cultures after Hogwarts. They also shared a love of Quidditch, though neither was looking to go professional. More importantly, they were already friends, and she thought they could remain so if dating didn't work out. With all those factors considered, she smiled brightly at Cedric, seeing him relax. "Yes, I would like that very much."

Their first kiss was brief, but nice, and confirmed for Cho that she had made a good decision. "So I know you usually study in the library on Sundays, I was thinking maybe I could come with and work on my egg research?" Cedric offered, "Like a study date?"

"You do know the way to a Ravenclaw's heart," Cho teased, though she was actually pleased at his reasoning and consideration. "It's a date."

They quickly tidied the empty classroom they had been using for their dance lessons, and then Cedric chivalrously escorted her back to Ravenclaw. Cho resolved to immediately hunt down Su and solidify their plans for both Solstice and the New Year. If she was going to use the holidays to introduce Cedric to her culture, she wanted to go all out and show him the best of everything.

**Author's Note:**

> There are several sources for information about Dongzhi, but here's [a good one](https://www.travelchinaguide.com/essential/holidays/winter-solstice-celebration.htm). For British Yule, I took from [Celtic solstice traditions](https://thecelticjourney.wordpress.com/2013/12/16/winter-solstice/) and [Scandinavian ones.](https://www.storey.com/article/yule-goat/)


End file.
